


Break

by athena_crikey



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: BAMF Asahi, Crush, Domestic Violence, First Kiss, Friendship, M/M, Noya is by definition a BAMF, OC, Romance, Whump, h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22249621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athena_crikey/pseuds/athena_crikey
Summary: Tanaka tells us that everytime he sees Noya, he has new bruises.The reason turns out to be more sinister than anyone anticipated.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu
Comments: 6
Kudos: 296





	Break

Yuu’s just finished his bath and is settling down to do some half-assed studying when he hears the key turn in the lock downstairs. His stomach sinks, his gut knotting itself. He listens, body tense, as heavy footsteps enter the house and tread through to the kitchen where Mom is preparing tomorrow’s bento. 

The voices start in a low tone, but quickly intensify. First to a barking tone, then shouting. 

Then a scream.

Yuu slams up from his desk and runs downstairs, stocking feet skidding on the wooden floor as he rounds the corner into the kitchen. 

It’s Seiji, of course. Tall, mean, and drunk. He’s towering over Mom, shaking his fist and shouting about his beer in the fridge. She’s flinching away, her face drawn, her eyes wide. 

Yuu knows she poured it down the sink yesterday. There’s no liquor in the house, much difference it makes. Seiji gets hammered before stopping by to vent his anger. Last time, Yuu tried to take his house key when he was passed out on the downstairs sofa. His brother had woken up and taken a swing at him, knocking him into the coffee table which had broken under his weight.

Seiji is ten years older than him and has twenty centimeters and forty pounds on Yuu. Fights between them have never been fair – they’ve been a beat-down. Especially these days, when Seiji’s visits are more often than not made when he’s hammered, his restraint washed away by alcohol. Like now. 

“Nii-san!” Yuu darts between Mom and Seiji, arms outstretched. Seiji’s face darkens and he throws a wide punch at Yuu, who ducks it easily. “You need to calm down. I’ll put the TV on for you, c’mon.” He tries to push Seiji away from Mom, keeps his attitude cheerful and his eyes on Seiji’s fists. “You can have a rest – you look tired.” He continues to blather as he steers his brother away from Mom, away from the empty fridge. 

But Seiji hasn’t forgotten his complaint. “I want my fucking beer,” he growls, grabbing at Yuu’s shoulder and squeezing painfully, Yuu’s bones grinding beneath his powerful grip. 

Yuu tries to pull away; Seiji’s hand tightens and he throws him into the counter, the doorknob digging painfully into Yuu’s lower back. His mother gives a tiny cry. “I. Want. It,” snarls Seiji, staring down at him. He puts a second hand on Yuu’s other shoulder and clenches it, his thumbs close enough to Yuu’s throat that Yuu feels real fear pound through him. “Nii-san – you know you shouldn’t have any more; why don’t we watch a movie – I just got a new one from America, lots’a guns and action, and…” Seiji moves his hands closer to Yuu’s neck, the pressure starting to choke Yuu, who coughs. 

“Seiji, it’s alright – I’ll go get some,” breaks in Mom, putting a hand on his fist. “Just let go of Yuu.”

Seiji looks over at her, eyes dark. “You’ll get me a drink.”

“Yes. Right now. So let him go.”

He tosses Yuu across the room like a discarded shirt; Yuu turns his shoulder and rolls before running out of runway and slamming into the opposite counter. He pops right up, breathing hard. Mom’s already hurrying out to go to the conbini and pick up some beer. Seiji swipes a bag of rice crackers off the counter and lumbers through to the living room, momentarily appeased. 

Yuu sighs and slinks back upstairs. They’ve made it through another of Seiji’s tantrums.

  
***

The fall air is crisp on Yuu’s walk into school, the trees shedding dying leaves in colourful splendour.

Yuu loves school, because school means one thing: volleyball. It’s been his whole life since he started in middle school, since he first saved a ball and knew – _knew_ – that he was made to be a libero. And now he has a wicked team, has Daichi and Suga and Ryuu. And he has Asahi. 

They walk to school together; his house is the closest, Asahi living further up a steep hill overlooking the town. Yuu loves that – loves the opportunity to spend even a few minutes alone together. Asahi’s the same size as Seiji but they couldn’t be more different. The wing spiker is shy, self-conscious and the gentlest person Yuu knows. He thinks it’s adorable as fuck. 

He waits for the bearded giant this morning, rubbing his sore shoulders absently and shifting his heavy bag from side to side when it starts to dig into his bruises. Seiji disappeared sometime in the early hours, hopefully to go home without causing further trouble. He was gone when Yuu came down in the morning to find his mother in the kitchen with red eyes, making breakfast. She always makes Yuu tamagoyaki – his favourite – after Seiji’s visits, as if to apologize. Today was no different. 

“Nishinoya!”

Yuu’s head snaps up and he grins as Asahi trots down the hill to his house, waving. The sight of Asahi’s smiling face washes away his unrest as though it had never been, transports him to a world where there’s nothing but volleyball: the satisfaction of practice, the excitement of games, the thrill of an outstanding dig. And with it all Asahi, pounding the balls Yuu saves into the opposite court to win them the match. Asahi who on or off the court is always polite, calm and kind. Asahi, who Yuu wants in his world more than anyone else. 

“Asahi-san!” He jogs up to meet the third-year. “’Morning!”

“Morning. Have a good night?”

“Aw, just some studying. Gotta keep up my grades to impress the first-years.”

Asahi laughs. “We can study together if you want – maybe that would help.”

Yuu lights up as they head down the hill together towards school. “Hey, really? That’d be great. With you there I bet I’d understand everything.”

“Don’t give me too much credit.”

Yuu punches him in the arm. “Don’t be such a downer. You’ve got the smarts, you should be proud of them.”

Asahi gives him a pained smile. “Sure, Nishinoya. If you say so.”

“I do!” He pumps his fist to the sky, and his collar slips down. He catches Asahi glancing at the pale skin there – and at the bruise left by Seiji. “Just some rough play with my bro,” he says, smiling. 

“You never quit, Nishinoya.”

  
***

Things are calm for a few days. Yuu falls into his usual cycle – school, volleyball, volleyball clips on his computer, and finally a little studying. Things are quiet at home; Mom promises him it’ll get better, that Seiji’s just in a rut because of his job situation. Yuu thinks his job situation is due to his personality, not vice versa, but he just smiles and agrees. She has more than enough stress in her life.

Asahi comes over a couple of times and they study together – and then watch volleyball vids and goof around. Mom brings them drinks and snacks, clearly basking in the domestic normality. Yuu soaks it up: her happiness, Asahi’s dopey grin, the way his own heart throbs pleasantly when the third-year brushes against him. He wants this normalcy, _craves_ it. 

But wishful thinking never solved a problem.

  
***

It’s late. Yuu’s just brushing his teeth before bed when he hears the key in the lock. He stiffens and pokes his head out to look downstairs; the light’s still on, Mom still watching TV after her shift at the bank. Yuu spits out the toothpaste as he hears Seiji slamming into the living room.

“Make me some goddamn dinner,” he’s shouting; there’s a dull thump, and Yuu scrambles down the stairs. 

His brother’s in the doorway to the living room, fist slammed into the plaster wall, its surface cracking beneath his fingers. Mom is standing beside the couch, face pale. “Seiji, it’s late,” she says, quietly.

“And I’m fucking starving,” he growls. 

“I’ll get you some rice crackers,” says Yuu. Seiji turns to glare at him.

“I don’t want your shitty snacks – I want a real dinner. I’m a man; I need real food.”

“How about an omelette then?” Yuu’s pretty sure there’s not much left to eat; tomorrow is discount day at the grocery store and Mom usually does the week’s big shop then. 

“How about you shut up?” Seiji lashes out at him; Yuu dodges and dances back into the hallway. His muscles are tired from a long practice session and Seiji’s movements are unpredictable. He ducks another blow only to have his foot stomped hard. He folds over and Seiji socks him on the cheek. “Enough of your whining, brat,” he snarls as Yuu stumbles backward, hand over his aching cheek, blood hammering in his ears. 

“Seiji, stop! There’s fish and rice – I’ll make you some grilled fish. Just… stop.” Mom sounds scared – desperate. The fish and rice is tomorrow morning’s breakfast, but right now Yuu doesn’t give a shit. 

“You can’t just come in here and shove me around,” he says, setting his shoulders, feet spread wide. “It’s time you grew up, nii-san.”

“The fuck did you say?” Seiji tries to grab him; Yuu ducks and kicks him in the shin, hard. Seiji’s balance is off; he tips to the side and slams heavily into the wall. 

“Yuu – don’t provoke him,” whispers Mom. He turns to her; eyes flashing. 

“I’m done being scared – I’m done walking on tip-toes around him, playing nice and mopping up after his messes.”

At that moment Seiji comes barrelling into him, lays him out flat with a shoulder tackle and sits on him, his weight crushing Yuu’s chest. “ _No one_ tells me what to do.” He raises his fist; Yuu stares back at him, glaring. 

Mom grabs his fist from behind. “Stop it, both of you! Seiji, come with me. I’ll make you something to eat. Yuu, go to your room. Just… go.”

Seiji looks up at her, face considering. Then, slowly, he stands. He takes the opportunity to kick Yuu in the side, hard, crushing the air out of his lungs. Yuu gasps and turns over, coughing as he chokes in air desperately. When he’s breathing right again Mom and Seiji are in the kitchen, Mom heating the grill. 

Disgusted with himself, Yuu gets to his feet and goes back upstairs.

  
***

“Nishinoya!”

Yuu glances up as Asahi comes down the hill and smiles awkwardly. He can feel the bruise on his cheek pulling, can feel the soft press of pain. Asahi arrives in front of him and frowns. “What happened?” he asks softly, staring at Yuu’s face. 

Something in the gentleness of his tone makes Yuu’s stomach twist. “It’s nothing. I stopped by and played a couple of sets with the ladies’ team last night and went full-speed into a wall.”

Asahi frowns. “I didn’t think you were still playing with them. You must’ve been exhausted after practice.”

“You know me – I never run dry.” He pumps his arm; Asahi gives him a doubtful look. “I just wanted to see how they were doing without me. Those aunties love me, you know.” He grins, and Asahi slowly smiles back. 

“Who wouldn’t?” he asks. It makes Yuu’s heart pound.

  
***

Life goes on. Mom stocks up on food but Seiji doesn’t come back; Yuu stops by the hardware store and considers buying another lock for the front door but doesn’t do it; Asahi comes over to study with him and notices the hole in the plaster from Seiji’s fist but doesn’t ask about it.

Everyone’s pretending nothing’s wrong, nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Including him. 

Yuu hates it, but he doesn’t know what else to do.

  
***

He and Asahi set up another study date a few days later after a long evening practice. It’s dark outside when they walk home, their breath clouding in the cold air. The crisp breeze feels good in his sweaty hair and against his flushed skin. “Man, going home after practice is the best,” he says, and feels like he’s never spoken truer words.

He feels great right up until they arrive at his house and he sees Seiji’s scooter parked out front. It’s the first time he’s been back since he punched Yuu in the face. Yuu swallows. “Actually, Asahi-san, I just remembered that my Mom is having friends over tonight. Could we study another time? Maybe tomorrow?” he suggests, trying to turn his eyes away from the scooter but failing. 

“Uh, sure?” says Asahi, surprised. “I mean yeah; no problem.”

It’s quiet, but from somewhere nearby Yuu thinks he hears the sound of something breaking. “Okay great – gotta go!” He breaks away and runs into the house; the door is unlocked and he darts in, shoving it blindly closed behind him and running down the hall. There’s shouting coming from the kitchen. 

Yuu bursts in to find Seiji hitting Mom, her hands raised protectively over her head, her body curled into the corner of the kitchen.

“Seiji!” He bursts forward, throwing himself into his brother and knocking him away. They fall together, Yuu topmost; he scrambles to grab Seiji’s wrists and try to hold him down, but his brother is bigger and taller and an instant later he’s flipped them so Yuu is crushed into the ground. 

Then the blows start. 

Yuu’s never taken this kind of abuse – Seiji’s punches have usually been one-offs, punctuation to his complaints or Yuu’s retorts. But now he’s mean and mad, landing punch after punch on Yuu’s face and in his gut. His head slams back against the cold tile floor, Seiji’s fists pummeling him towards unconsciousness. He tastes blood in his mouth and then bile; he tries to turn onto his side as a blow to his stomach sends vomit into his throat, and nearly chokes on it. 

Then, abruptly, it stops. Yuu squints up through his aching eyes and sees Asahi – Asahi! – dragging Seiji off him. The wing spiker puts him in a headlock and wrestles him to the ground, holding him there while Seiji struggles and curses. “I’ve called the cops,” he says; the words sound as if they’re coming from far away. 

Yuu turns over onto his side and sicks up what little is in his stomach, his head and torso throbbing. He can’t see properly; everything’s dim and blurry. From somewhere nearby he can hear someone crying. 

“Nishinoya?” It’s Asahi, sounding worried. 

He tries to look over, tries to grin. But as he turns his head dizziness sweeps over him, cresting like a dark wave, and he groans and closes his eyes. Slowly, the world fades away.

  
***

Darkness.

Yuu opens his eyes slowly and has to squint to make out details. There are a few glowing lights in the room – a screen above his head showing flowing lines and a throbbing red dot, and a blue button that reads Call. There’s a window but the blinds are lowered and the world beyond is dark. 

And, sitting in the chair beside him, holding his hand, is Asahi. Yuu blinks once, twice, but the third-year is still there when he looks again. His head is tilted back, his breathing audible. Asleep. 

Yuu’s thoughts are muddled, his memory full of holes. He twitches his fingers and Asahi takes a breath, eyes sliding open. 

“Nishinoya!” he straightens, hand pulling away. Yuu immediately misses its warmth. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

“Sore.” He _is_ sore, his chest and head aching. He reaches up and feels cloth around his forehead; his face crinkles. “What happened?”

“…You don’t remember?”

Yuu considers, tilting his head back to stare at the dark ceiling. “I remember practice. Changing in the club room. I think we walked home together…” he strains his memory and comes up with just one image – his brother’s scooter, parked outside the house. “Seiji,” he says, softly. 

“I found him pummelling you into the floor. The front door didn’t latch when you went tearing inside and I heard screaming.” Asahi passes a hand over his drawn face. “It’s been him all along, hasn’t it? The marks, the bruises – your face last week.”

Yuu closes his eyes. “We’ve been ignoring it so long it just seems… almost normal. Everyone’s family’s a bit screwed up, right?”

“Not like this, Nishinoya,” says Asahi gently. “You could’ve asked me for help – asked any of us for help. You shouldn’t have to pretend nothing was wrong.”

Yuu’s eyes flash open. “What could I have said? My brother’s a layabout drunk who likes to beat down his family? What would you have done? Mom doesn’t want him to be arrested; she’s terrified the family will find out, that her friends will find out. And he was always her favourite when we were little. She can’t bear the idea of him behind bars. Besides, it’ll be his word against ours. We’ve got no proof.” 

“You’re in hospital with a concussion and bruises all over. Your mom has a sprained wrist and a black eye. You’ve got proof.”

Yuu sighs. “Maybe.” His head is throbbing, his chest aching. All this thinking is making it worse. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” he admits. 

Asahi rests a light hand on his shoulder. “Let me help you.” 

“Asahi-san…” His heart feels like it’s melting. “I don’t know how you can. But thanks.”

“Can you tell me about it? What’s been happening? Why?”

“I guess.” He takes a slow, steadying breath. “Seiji’s always had a short fuse. He used to get into fights all the time when he was in school. Not so much with me back then – I was too little. After he graduated he got a job in the forestry industry with a bunch of really rough-and-tumble guys. They could stand his temper, and the occasional bursts of violence. But the industry’s dying. He was one of the first to go when the layoffs started, and since then he’s been drinking and picking fights with anyone he can. He comes over when he’s ugly drunk to try to pick up more beer, or scrounge a meal. We’ve tried refusing him; he just gets violent. I’ve tried standing up to him… tried to protect Mom. But he’s so much bigger than me.” Yuu closes his eyes. “My size doesn’t matter as a libero. But at home, I’m useless.”

“You’ve done more than anyone could’ve,” replies Asahi, pressing his shoulder gently. “You’ve kept this secret for so long, and you’ve never let it affect your game, or your attitude. You’re the bravest person I know, Nishinoya.” 

Yuu’s heart flutters. But there’s a bigger issue at stake. “You gotta keep this a secret, Asahi-san. From the other guys. From everyone.”

“What?”

“I told you – Mom’s terrified that people will find out about Seiji, about us. I can’t let that happen. Just say… say I’m sick.”

“Nishinoya, you’ve got a concussion. You can’t hide –”

“Then say I got in a fight. They’ll believe that. With some kids from Seijou, or wherever.”

“I can’t do that –”

Yuu looks at him, takes his hand and holds it. “Asahi-san, my brother put me in the hospital. That’s not something I can admit to anyone, other than you. Please.”

Asahi sighs. “I’ll do my best…”

“Thanks. I mean it.” He lies back, fingers still wrapped around Asahi’s muscular hand. “So when do I get out of here?” he asks. 

“I don’t know – I’ll go ask the nurse.” Asahi stands, pulling away. His departure leaves Yuu alone in the darkness, his body full of aches. 

One of them, though, he can deal with. His bladder is begging for release, and when he looks over he sees there’s an IV slipped into the back of his left hand filling him full of fluid. He pushes up, swings his legs over the side of the bed, and slowly stands. 

The world sways alarmingly twice; he holds onto the side of the bed and waits for it to subside. When it does he grabs hold of the IV tree and wheels it towards the open door to the room’s tiny private toilet. Just as he reaches the doorway he hears Asahi return behind him; he turns too fast, and the world tips abruptly. He loses his grip on the IV tree and falls – 

Right into Asahi’s arms. The taller boy catches him easily and straightens him, holding Yuu up in the circle of his arms, Yuu’s head resting on his chest. “Nishinoya?” He sounds anxious, panicky. 

“’M okay,” mumbles Yuu. 

“What are you doing up?” asks Asahi, less demanding than concerned. 

“Bathroom,” says Yuu. “I’m fucking bursting.”

Asahi lets out a shaky laugh. “You’re really incorrigible, you know that?”

“Don’t know what that means, but thanks.” He forces his eyes to focus and takes hold of the IV tree again, shuffling slowly into the bathroom. Asahi comes in with him, supporting his elbow. “I can go on my own,” he says. 

“Right now,” replies Asahi, “I don’t feel like letting you out of my sight.”

  
***

It turns out that he’s to be discharged later that afternoon. Asahi leaves for school and Mom comes by, teary-eyed and with a swollen black-and-blue to hug him and fluff up his hair and tell him she’s sorry.

(“It’s not your fault,” says Yuu.

“Of course it is. I should have stopped it a long time ago.”

“If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be here,” replies Yuu.)

Seiji is being held pending charges, but Yuu doesn’t know whether there will be any. Likely as not Mom will refuse to file them, and he won’t go against her. Frankly, he doesn’t see how being locked up with other violent offenders will help Seiji’s issues. 

Mom stays for an hour while Yuu drifts in and out of sleep; after that, she has to take an afternoon shift at work. Asahi shows up after school to bring him home.

“What about volleyball?” asks Yuu, pulling on his clothes from yesterday.

“I skipped it,” replies Asahi easily. 

Yuu drops his shoe. “You what?”

“I’m kidding. I told Daichi you needed someone to look after you. He thinks you’re sick with the flu.”

“Doctor said the concussion should only keep me out for three days tops, so that should work. Thanks man!” He beams at Asahi, who flushes. 

“You’re welcome.” Slowly, carefully, Asahi reaches out and places a hand on Yuu’s shoulder. “You know I’ll always have your back. Right?”

“Asahi-san…”

“You want to protect your family. I want to protect you.”

Yuu feels his face getting hot, his palms sweaty. Since he came to Karasuno there’s been only two things he wanted in his life: volleyball, and Asahi. He raises his hand and places it against Asahi’s face, feels the smooth skin of his cheek and the rough stubble of his jaw. Asahi doesn’t pull away. His brown eyes are soft, his cheeks red, his lips moist. Yuu’s hand slides slowly down to rest beneath Asahi’s chin; he pulls him forward and, leaning up, presses a kiss to Asahi’s warm lips. 

Asahi’s hand on his shoulder slips around his back, pulling him into a closer embrace. Yuu’s heart feels like it’s going to burst from happiness, feels dizzy and drunk with it. When he breaks away, he’s panting for breath. “I’ve wanted to do that _forever_ ,” he says in a low voice, for Asahi’s ears only. 

The third-year gives a breathy laugh. “Me too.”

Yuu rests his forehead on Asahi’s shoulder while he catches his breath. “We’re going to do that again, right?” he asks, without looking up. 

“On a regular basis,” replies Asahi; Yuu can hear the smile in his tone.

  
***

They go home together, Asahi shuttling Yuu onto the bus and sitting next to him while they bump along, Yuu getting slowly more and more dizzy. The bright lights and sounds of the world outside his hospital room are overwhelming, and Asahi seems to recognize that he’s shrinking into himself. The wing spiker holds his hand beneath a fold of their coats, the touch secret and safe.

After they get off, Asahi guides him home, Yuu leaning against his arm more and more as they carry on. He hadn’t realized how wiped he is, and how dizzy. Asahi gets him in the front door and settles him down on the living room sofa. “Do you want something to eat?”

His stomach is feeling queasy from the dizziness. “Nuh-uh. No way,” he groans, throwing a hand over his eyes to block out the light that’s streaming in through the front windows. 

“When’s you mom coming home?”

“Around 8,” replies Yuu. “Stay for a while. Please?”

Asahi sits down and pulls Yuu closer to him, while wrapping the blanket from the back of the sofa carefully around him. 

Eventually, Yuu falls asleep. When he wakes up, Asahi’s gone but there’s a note in his place. 

_Remember – on a regular basis_ , it says. Yuu smiles and holds it crumpled in his hand as he drifts back to sleep.

  
***

Asahi comes by the next day on his way to school. Yuu’s made it upstairs to his room by this point, is snuggled up in bed with the lights off and a cup of green tea. It’s still dark outside, the fall days getting short.

“You can turn the light on,” Yuu says when Asahi pushes the door open. 

“That’s okay.” He crosses over to Yuu’s bed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better. Still dizzy. Still sore. They gave me some pain meds but they make me loopy as fuck so I stopped taking them.” 

Asahi reaches out and places his hand against Yuu’s cheek, his fingers feathering through Yuu’s un-gelled hair. “You need to take care of yourself,” he says gently. 

“Hey – I always do!”

“Somehow, Nishinoya, I think your health is the last thing on your mind.”

Before Yuu can argue, he leans down and kisses him. His lips are soft and warm, his hand slipping back to cradle Yuu’s head. It’s very sweet – but Yuu wants more. He presses forward insistently, opening his mouth to slide his tongue forward, and Asahi pulls back. 

“Nope. You’re still on bed rest.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t _kiss_ you.”

“It means you can’t get worked up,” replies the third-year, smiling like the idiot he is. “Save your energy for later.”

“Asahi-san –”

“I’ve got to go. I’ll stop by tomorrow morning and check on you, okay?”

Yuu sighs; Asahi’s already heading for the door. “Okay.”

  
***

“I’m not pressing charges,” says Mom that afternoon, when she brings up a snack for him. “I can’t, Yuu. I just can’t. He’s still my boy – I can’t throw him in prison with all those criminals. He’s just lost. If we can find him a job, he’ll get over it.”

Yuu says nothing.

“The police are going to release him this evening, with orders to stay away. They’ve taken his house key. He shouldn’t come by anymore.”

_Yeah_ , thinks Yuu, silently. _Right._

  
***

He wakes early the next morning and showers and dresses. He still has the bandages around his forehead, protecting a healing cut on his temple, still has the bruises on his face and his chest. Tomorrow’s Friday – he won’t go back to school before Monday at the earliest. Plenty of time to heal up.

Yuu wants to be up and ready for Asahi’s visit. He’s checking his phone for messages when he hears a knock on the door downstairs. Asahi.

He hears Mom go to answer it, hears the bolt turn and the door open. Then silence. Then: “No! Seiji, no!”

Yuu’s standing in his doorway, frozen. He hears a heavy step, hears Mom stumble. “Stop it – let me go. Please – don’t do this!”

Yuu thumps down the stairs, head spinning. At the bottom he sees Seiji, pushing Mom backwards. He turns to Yuu. “There you are,. You’re coming with me.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we’re going to pay that bearded friend of yours a visit.”

Yuu’s blood runs cold. He stands, frozen, staring. Seiji snaps a hand out and grabs his wrist, dragging him forward. Yuu barely has time to stick his feet in his shoes before they’re out the door. “Where does he live, Yuu? You tell me where.” His grip on Yuu’s wrist is crushing, his eyes full of fury. 

“Are you nuts? I’m not taking you to him,” spits Yuu, pulling back towards the house. “Let me go. Stop it!”

Seiji raises a fist, and Yuu stops. If he gets hit now, gets another concussion, he might not be able to play for weeks. He has to think of a better way. He has to be smart, like Asahi. “Okay,” he says, slowly. “I’ll take you. Just don’t hurt me.”

“Good boy,” croons Seiji, dragging him down the path and out onto the road.

It’s still dark outside, the streetlamps shining buttery circles of light down onto the street. It’s also near freezing; Yuu’s only wearing a t-shirt and track pants, and feels frigid already. He leads the way up the street towards Asahi’s house – but also, more importantly, towards the police box. It’s the first time he’s been out since coming home from the hospital and he feels shaky and weak. He can’t stop shivering. “You don’t have to do this, nii-san. You can let me go now. We’ll help you. Mom’s really worried about you. She just wants the best for you.”

“Shut it. No one wants anything but for me to disappear. You think I don’t know it? You think I don’t see it in your eyes when you look at me? Well, I do. I always have.”

Yuu swallows. “You’re wrong. You’re my brother – you’re Mom’s favourite. We want to help you.”

Seiji laughs and drags him forward, Yuu tripping over his own feet as his head spins. “You just keep walking, Yuu.”

They’re about halfway up the hill – and halfway to the police box – when he sees a familiar face descending the steep incline. Yuu’s heart constricts in his chest, his eyes darting up to Seiji’s. 

His brother hasn’t recognized Asahi yet. 

“It’s this way,” he announces suddenly, pulling Seiji across the road towards a side-street. He needs to get him away from Asahi, needs to make sure they don’t spot each other. But then, even as he’s dragging Seiji across the street:

“Nishinoya!” Asahi starts jogging towards them. Seiji turns like a shark scenting blood in the water. He lets go of Yuu’s hand and barrels forward.

“Asahi!” Yuu tries to follow, trips, and falls. He looks up just in time to see the two of them squaring off, Seiji throwing a punch at Asahi which the third-year dodges. They’re in the street halfway between two streetlamps, fighting in the dark. Yuu scrambles up, palms stinging, and runs to try to separate them. Seiji swats him off and he stumbles backwards even as Asahi comes in swinging, grabbing Seiji and nearly knocking him over before Seiji pushes away and regains his distance. 

Yuu looks around and sees a conbini on the other side of the road. He runs across to it and slams the door open. “Call the police – there’s a fight in the street,” he gasps, panting, at the shocked clerk. 

He turns to see Asahi dodge another blow and give one in return – this one connects with Seiji’s chin and he staggers, then catches his balance. 

Further up the street, Yuu sees a set of headlights. A car. It’s too early for most of the kids to be going to school, and there are no traffic lights here. Cars take the road fast and furious. “Asahi!”

He sprints out into the road, flying right into Asahi, and knocks him back onto the sidewalk. From behind him there’s a squeal of tires and a thump. 

They hit the ground hard, the concrete feeling much harder than the gym floor. Yuu’s head slams into Asahi’s shoulder and he sees stars, collapsing to lie on the cement. 

“Nishinoya? Yuu? _Yuu?_ ” 

He opens his eyes. Asahi’s above him, picking him up to hold him up off the frigid sidewalk. “Yuu, can you hear me?”

Yuu winces. “Yeah. Are you okay?”

“Me? Never mind about me – are _you_ okay?”

Yuu closes his eyes. He feels dizzy and sick, head spinning. He can’t stop shaking. “’M fine,” he slurs. “Seiji?”

There’s a pause. “I think,” says Asahi, voice distant, “we need to call an ambulance.”

  
***

The ambulance and the police arrive at the same time, the former having been called by the motorist and the latter by the conbini staff. Yuu sits on the edge of the sidewalk with Asahi’s coat over his shoulders, watching while the wing spiker talks to the police, and while his brother is loaded into the ambulance.

They want to talk to him, but Asahi’s found a source of strength somewhere and is refusing to allow it. “He has a concussion, and he’s confused. He needs to be resting.”

Eventually they concede and Yuu’s helped into the car which drives them the few blocks back down the hill. Asahi takes him inside, where Mom’s waiting on the doorstep with another uniformed officer. “Yuu! Thank goodness! What happened? Where’s Seiji?”

The sickening feeling in his stomach grows, and he swallows back bile. “Hospital,” he chokes out, leaning against Asahi. 

“He was hit by a car; he’s being taken to hospital,” explains Asahi, as his mom gasps. “He was awake when they put him in the ambulance.”

Mom turns to him, taking him by the shoulders and looking into his eyes. “Are you alright?”

“I will be.”

“Then I’d better go to the hospital.” She looks to the officer. “Can we continue this later?”

“Of course, Nishinoya-san.”

“Mom, you really called the cops?” asks Yuu, dully bemused, as she grabs her purse. 

“I think it’s time I stopped prioritizing Seiji at your expense. Our expense,” she replies. “Azumane-kun, will you look after Yuu?”

“Certainly,” answers Asahi, as she presses past them and puts her shoes on. She and the police officer leave together. 

And then it’s just them. Yuu leans against Asahi’s side, eyes closed. “Think I should lie down,” he says. 

A moment later Asahi is lifting him into his arms and carrying him up the stairs. “Hey – what – oi!”

“You’ll feel better in your bed,” says Asahi, straightforwardly. He reaches the top of the stairs and turns into Yuu’s room, crossing it in three steps and putting Yuu down in his bed. Yuu’s still wearing his coat but he doesn’t want to take it off; it’s warm, and it smells of Asahi. He lies down, snuggling into it, eyes closed. 

“Nishinoya?”

“Call me Yuu,” he says. “You did before.”

He feels the mattress dip as Asahi sits down next to him. “You’re really okay? I could take you back to the hospital.”

“Just dizzy. I’ll be fine.” He swallows. With his eyes closed, all he can see is the flashing lights of the police car and the ambulance. The scene of Seiji being strapped onto a stretcher and put inside. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. 

“What for?”

“I was trying to bring him to the police box. I should have thought that we might meet you. I should have taken him another way.”

“Nothing that happened is your fault,” replies Asahi, sternly. “I mean it Nishi – Yuu. You just jumped in front of a car to save me. You think I’ll forget that?”

“Wasn’t going that fast.”

Asahi places a hand on his shoulder, squeezes. “More than fast enough. And…” he trails off. Yuu opens his eyes a crack.

“And?”

“And you could have saved Seiji instead. He’s your brother. I would have forgiven you.”

“But I wouldn’t have forgiven myself. If Seiji has to beat up on me, well then, fine. But I’ll never let him touch you.”

“It’s not fine,” says Asahi gently. “It will never be okay for him to hurt you. It never has been. I think your mom sees that, now.”

Yuu blinks up at him, then smiles. “Geez, Asahi-san. When’d you get so cool?” 

“Yuu?”

“I know it’s not okay. But it’s nice to hear it once and a while. And … it’s nice to have someone to share this secret with.”

“I’m always here for you. Always.” He rests a light hand on Yuu’s forehead, his skin warm. Yuu closes his eyes. 

“Thanks, Asahi-san.”

EPILOGUE

“So Seiji-san is going to get treatment?”

They’re walking home a week later, Yuu almost fully healed up, his bruises vanished. 

“Yup. Mum found a program in Tokyo that’ll take him. And with his broken leg, he can’t high-tail it outta there.”

“Guess not.”

Yuu scratches his nose. “I mean, it’ll be a long road, and it might not work out, but… we’re both hopeful. That’s more than we’ve had in a long time.”

“I’m happy for you, Yuu.”

“It’s partially because of you, you know. You’re the one that made me believe that maybe things could change. And that they needed to change.”

Asahi rubs the back of his head, laughing awkwardly. Yuu punches him in the side. “Be better at accepting compliments! Geez.” 

“I have some videos from last year’s nationals – they’ll old news by now, but if you want to watch them…” suggests Asahi.

“You know I do! When? Now?”

“Sure. Now’s good.” They turn up the hill towards Asahi’s house. “Wanna stop and get a popsicle?” he asks. 

They stop outside the conbini, standing on the sidewalk right where Yuu tackled Asahi out of the car’s path. Asahi puts his hand on Yuu’s shoulder, draws him closer. 

“What the hell – why not?” says Yuu. He looks up at Asahi and smiles. “You’ll come too, right?”

“Always.”

END


End file.
